ENGLISHMAN'S HEALTH.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15319, 21 August 1923, Page 6

ENGLISHMAN'S HEALTH.

LONGER LIVES THAN OUR GRANDFATHERS.

A review of public health was given by Mr Neville Chamberlain, Minister of Health, on a House of Commons vote of £12,504,210 for his department.

Mr Chamberlain pointed out that the expectation of fife was increasing, and a child born to-day could reasonably expect to live 12 years longer than his grandfather. The diseases which took the heaviest toll were not cancer and tuberculosis, as was commonly supposed, and he placed them in this order: Respiratory diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc), diseases of the heart, diseases of the nervous system, cancer, and tuberculosis.

The high mortality from respiratory diseases was due to the congested conditions and the polluted atmosphere of big towns. The death rate always went up after a London fog. He hoped shortly to introduce legislation to carry us a step farther in the purification of the air.

"The Cancer Age."

Cancer was increasing. In 1900 the deaths numbered 829 per million of the population; in 1910, 967; in 1921, 1215. With improved methods of diagnosis many deaths were now attributed to cancer which would not have been so registered some years ago. Cancer was most prevalent between 50 and 60, and, with the increasing life of the people a greater number ■came into that short span of life called "the cancer age." Mr Chamberlain gave a more encouraging account of the struggle against tuberculosis. In 18C7 deaths from tuberculosis per million of the population numbered 2653; in 1907, 1125; and last year, 855. Lately two new methods of treatment had come under the notice of the Minister of Hcallh. lie had offered to make a full and sympathetic cxaminntion of the Spahlinger remedy as soon as Dr. Spahlinger was in a position to supply the necessary serums and vaccines. He also explained without comment, the discovery of Dr Dreyor, of Oxford.